Supply unit

ABSTRACT

A supply unit for positionally correct feeding of component parts, for example connecting elements, from an unordered quantity in a holder to a processing unit, comprising a sword-shaped conveyor element with a drive unit for moving at least one section comprising a transport or conveyor surface of the conveyor element in a back and forth stroke movement along an inner surface of the holder, the component element dips into an area of the holder occupied by the component parts, and transports the component parts to a transport route provided above said area for transporting away the required component parts with the conveyor element to the transport route.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a supply unit for properly positioning and feeding nuts and bolts retained in a container to a processing unit.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Supply units of this type are also known in the art as “step conveyors” and are used to convey components or component parts, which are placed in a holder or a container of the supply unit as an unordered, unsorted quantity of components. A conveyor element moves up and down relative to the holder and extracts individual components from the holder and delivers same to a transport element spaced above, or at the open, upper end, of the holder. The component parts can then be supplied via the transport element to a processing unit for further utilization.

The conveyor element is moved with a conveying or carrying surface along an inner surface of the holder, so that the component parts carried along with the conveyor element can be supported so they slide both on the conveying and carrying surface and on the inner surface of the holder. The design of the conveyor element insures that only component parts which are correctly oriented and/or positioned are conveyed by the conveyor element to the area of the transport element, i.e. in the transfer area of the conveyor element to the transport element, and are transferred to the transport element.

In supply units known in the art, the transport element for removing the component parts from the supply unit is generally a vibration conveyor designed as a linear conveyor. The slow transport speed of such vibration conveyors is a marked disadvantage, for relatively long cycle times are needed to transport the component parts transported with the conveyor element away from the unordered quantity to the transport element or to a transfer area. The long cycle time limits the capacity of a supply unit (the number of component parts transported away with the transport element per unit of time).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is to present a supply unit, or to provide for a supply unit, that does not have this disadvantage of low capacity, but makes it possible to provide component parts at a high capacity for further utilization.

In the supply unit according to the invention, the component parts are likewise raised from the unordered quantity with the conveyor element inserted, or dipped, with the. conveying and carrying surface into the unordered quantity of components, and thus transferred to the transport route. The transport route is provided with at least one circulating drivable conveyor element, with which the component parts are transported at high speed from the transfer area of the conveyor route working together with the conveyor element, so the supply unit can operate at high capacity with a conveyor element that moves up and down at an accordingly high speed.

Further embodiments, advantages and possible applications of the invention are disclosed in the following description of exemplary embodiments and of the drawings. All characteristics described and/or depicted alone or in any combination are fundamentally the subject of the invention, regardless of any summarization in the claims or any direct reference. The content of the claims is also incorporated into the description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a supply unit for feeding nuts to a processing unit, the supply unit being constructed in accordance with the principles of applicant's invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the supply unit of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the supply unit of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a rear view of the supply unit of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a top view of the supply unit of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary side view, on an enlarged scale, of the conveyor, for the supply unit, carrying nuts;

FIG. 7 shows the transfer area in a side view; and

FIG. 8 shows a view similar to FIG. 6, wherein the conveyor is carrying threaded bolts.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The supply unit 1 depicted in FIGS. 1-7 is used for feeding nuts 2 (e.g. rivet nuts) to a unit not further described for processing said nuts, for example to a punching head not further described for inserting the nuts 2 into existing workpieces made of sheet metal. The nuts 2 consist in the depicted embodiment of a cylindrical body 2.1, which has a continuous threaded bore and is provided on a front face with a rivet collar 2.2, which after insertion in an opening of the respective workpiece for anchoring of the nut 2 there, is deformed by riveting or pressing and has a reduced diameter in comparison with the body 2.1.

The supply unit 1 comprises a container 3 that is tapered toward the bottom in the manner of a funnel with a container interior 4 for holding an unordered quantity consisting of a plurality of nuts 2 and comprises a sword-like conveyor element 5, which extends with a top partial length or with a section 5.1 there through an opening in the container bottom 6 into the container interior 4 and can move up and down in a clock pulsed manner by means of a drive unit in the form of a pneumatic cylinder provided outside of the container 3 on the back of the supply unit 1, as indicated by the double arrow A in the drawings. The section 5.1 is moved at the same time along the inner surface of a vertically angled rear wall 8 or wall section 8.1 of said rear wall 8 of the container 4, namely so that with each downward movement of the conveyor element 5 into the nuts 2 held in the container 3 it dips with a conveyor surface 5.2 oriented perpendicular or essentially perpendicular to the inner surface of the wall section 8.1 and extending in horizontal direction, and with each upward movement carries along a quantity of nuts 2 corresponding to the width of the sword-like conveyor element 5 or the width of the conveyor surface 5.2. The nuts 2 carried upward with the conveyor element 5 are oriented randomly to some extent, so that they lie with their front face 2.3 facing away from the rivet collar 22 against the inner surface of the rear wall 8, which corresponds to a “correct” orientation, or so that they lie with their rivet collar 2.2 against the inner surface of the rear wall 2. In any cases, the nuts 2 carried along with the conveyor element 5 are oriented respectively with their axis perpendicular or essentially perpendicular to the inner surface of the rear wall 8. All nuts 2 that are randomly oriented differently are not carried along by the conveyor element 5 or, after the surface 5.2 emerges from the supply of nuts held in the container 3, fall off the surface 5.2.

The nuts carried along with the conveyor element 5 finally arrive at a step 8.2 formed on the rear wall 8, which (step) extends in horizontal direction as does the surface 5.2, i.e. perpendicular to the plane of projection in FIG. 6, but is slightly angled horizontally in cross direction, so that nuts 2 carried along with the conveyor element 5, due to the force of gravity, slide sideways from the conveyor surface 5.2 onto the step 8.2 and then lie either with the front face 2.3 or with the rivet collar 2.2 against the flat inner surface of the continuation 8.3 of the rear wall 8 adjoining the step 8.2. To ensure reliable transfer of the nuts 2 from the surface 5.2 of the conveyor element 5 onto the step 8.2, the stroke of the conveyor element 5 is adjusted so that in the topmost position of this stroke movement, the surface 5.2 is somewhat above the step 8.2. A conveyor element is provided on the step 8.2, with which (conveyor element) the nuts 2 transferred to the step 8.2 or to the transfer area there are moved at an accelerated rate to the side, i.e. in horizontal direction from the transfer area to which the nuts 2 were conveyed with the conveyor element 5.

The transport element, which together with the step 8.2 and the section 8.3 forms an inner transport route 11, consists in the depicted embodiment of a conveyor belt 10 driven in a circuit by a motor 9, the upper length 10.1 of which (belt) is located in the area of the step 8.2 and forms a bearing surface there for the nuts 2 conveyed to the step 8.2. The conveyor belt 10 is continuously driven, namely at such a speed that in any case, whenever the surface 5.2 of the conveyor element 5 reaches the top stroke position, no nuts 2 are on the part of the step 8.2 allocated to the conveyor element 5.

The nuts 2 transported away with the conveyor belt 10 or with the length 10.1 in horizontal direction from the area of the conveyor element 5 arrive in an outer guide 12 adjoining the step 8.2, by which (guide) the nuts 2 are then supplied for further utilization.

To ensure that only correctly oriented nuts 2, i.e. such nuts that lie with their front face 2.3 adjacent to the rear wall 8 or the section 8.3 of said rear wall, arrive in the guide 12, means are provided to ensure that incorrectly oriented nuts 2 fall back into the container 3. In the depicted embodiment, air outlet openings 13 are provided in the area of the internal conveyor route formed by the step 8.2 and the upper conveyor belt length 10.1 on the inner surface of the section 8.3. The air current escaping from the openings 13 is adjusted so that correctly oriented nuts 2 that lie with their front face 2.3 on the inner surface of the section 8.3 are held there by the air current, while incorrectly oriented nuts 2 that lie with their rivet collar 2.2 against the inner surface of the section 8.3 are blow away by the air current and therefor fall back into the container 3 or into the unordered quantity of nuts 2 there.

Above the inner guide formed by the step 8.2 and the adjoining inner surface of the section 8.3, a deflector 14 is provided to ensure that such nuts 2 that are positioned randomly above the nuts 2 lying on the step 8.2 are thrown off and therefore likewise fall back into the container 3.

FIG. 8 shows, in a depiction similar to FIG. 6, a supply unit 1 a, which is used to supply bolts 15 to a processing unit. The bolts 15 consist respectively of a bolt shank 15.1, which for example is provided with outer threads, and a bolt head 15.2. The supply unit la differs from the supply unit 1 essentially only in that the plate-like or sword-like conveyor element 5 a corresponding to the conveyor element 5 has a somewhat larger width at least on the surface 5 a. 2 in the axis direction perpendicular to the wall section 8.1 of the rear wall 8, so that bolts 15 can be accommodated there, namely oriented with their bolt axis parallel or at an angle to the inner surface of the wall section 8.1 and lying with the bolt head 15.2 and with the free end of the bolt shank 15.1 on the surface 5 a. 2. The conveyor element 5 a reliably transports a plurality of bolts 115 from the quantity of bolts held in the container interior 4 upward to the step 8.2, the bolts being held respectively with their bolt head 15.2 and with the free end of their bolt shank 15.1 in the angle formed between the angled surface 8.1 and the surface 5 a. 2. The width of the surface 5 a. 2 is smaller than the diameter of the bolt head 15.2, but larger than the radius of the bolt head 15.2. The wall section 8.3 adjoining the step 8.2 in this embodiment is provided with a recess 16 for the shank 15.1 of the bolt 15, so that a majority of the bolts 15 transported upward are slewed by the force of gravity with the bolt shank 15.1 into the recess 16, due to the angled position of the wall section 8.1. For this purpose, the drive unit for the up and down motion (double arrow A) of the conveyor element 5 is designed so that in the upper stroke position of this conveyor element, the surface 5 a. 2 is at least at the same level, but preferably slightly above the bottom surface of the recess 16. At the latest during the return movement of the conveyor element 5 a from the upper stroke position, the bolts 15, which extend with their bolt shank 15.1 into the recess 16 and are oriented perpendicular or essentially perpendicular to the wall section 8.3, lie with their bolt head 15.2 on the conveyor belt length 10.1 and are thereby transported away at an accelerated rate from the area of the step 8.2 working together with the conveyor element 5 a or from the transfer area.

The step 8.2 and the wall section 8.3 with the recess 16 and the transport belt 10 likewise form an inner transport system 11 a. Obviously, the adjoining outer guide for further transport of the bolts 15 to the processing unit likewise features the recess 16 for the bolt shanks 15.1 at least in a partial area.

The supply unit described above, is susceptible of modification and variations that will occur to the skilled artisan. Consequently, the appended claims should be broadly construed in a manner consistent with the spirit and scope of applicant's invention, and should not be limited to their literal terms. 

1. A supply unit for positionally correct feeding of components or component parts, for example for positionally correct feeding of connecting elements, from an unordered quantity in a holder to a processing unit, said unit comprising: a conveyor element; a drive unit for moving at least one section of the conveyor element, which section forms a transport or conveyor surface in a back and forth stroke movement along an inner surface of the holder for dipping into an area of the holder occupied by the component parts and for transporting or conveying components or component parts to a transport route provided above said area for transporting away the component parts which have been conveyed to the transport route with the conveyor element; wherein the transport route comprises a transport element that can move in a transport direction and forms a bottom or support surface for the component parts on the transport route.
 2. The supply unit according to claim 1, wherein said transport element is at least one endlessly circulating drivable transport element.
 3. The supply unit according to claim 2, wherein said drivable transport element is an endlessly circulating drivable belt, or a band-like or a chain-like transport element.
 4. The supply unit according to claim 1, wherein the conveyor element is a sword-like conveyor element, which is moved, with its conveyor surface, along a preferably angled or inclined inner surface of the holder.
 5. The supply unit according to claim 1, wherein said conveyor surface simultaneously holds a plurality of component parts.
 6. The supply unit according to claim 1, wherein said conveyor unit can be moved up and down vertically or essentially vertically by the conveyor element drive unit.
 7. The supply unit according to claim 1, wherein said conveyor unit can be moved up and down in a vertically angled axis direction by the conveyor element drive unit.
 8. The supply unit according to claim 1, wherein said conveyor surface in the upper stroke position of the conveyor element is at the same level, or approximately at the same level, as the transport route.
 9. The supply unit according to claim 1, wherein means are provided on the transport route for removing component parts that are not properly oriented.
 10. The supply unit according to claim 9, wherein air outlet openings discharge air onto the components passing in proximity thereto.
 11. The supply unit according to claim 1, wherein, for component parts in the form of bolts, the conveyor surface has a width that is equal to or smaller than the diameter of the bolt heads. 